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Brown v. Board of Education
Parents of African American children wanted access to the same/equal education for their children as white children received. The US Supreme Court ruled that "separate but equal" was not equal and could not be made equal. This was important because it gave everyone access to the same education. This is what makes education truly equal for all. -
War on Poverty/Head Start
The Head Start program was designed for children who came from economically disadvantaged homes. The intention was to help children between the ages of 3 and 5 be prepared socially and cognitively for school. This is important because not all families are able to afford preschool. Preschool is important for children to begin to socialize with peers of the same age and to begin learning their ABCs, how to count, and how to behave in a classroom setting. -
Education for All Handicapped Children Act
This was to ensure that all children had access to a free, quality education. This is what later became the Individuals with disabilities act after being amended several times. This is important because it ensures that children who have disabilities will have access the same education that other students. -
No Child Left Behind Act
The intention of this Act was to hold states, districts, and schools accountable for unequal achievements between minorities, low income students, non English speaking students, and children with disabilities. This is important because it makes sure that every school is held to the same standard. It does not matter if you come from a poor district, poor family, a non English speaking home, or not, you have the right to the same quality education as everyone else. -
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
This Act put more federal dollars into education. This was put into place to help turn around underperforming schools and to improve teacher and principal effectiveness. This is important because there were schools that could not afford up to date textbooks, computers, or even a safe place for recess. The extra money helped the underperforming schools with these issues.
